Basic Crepe Recipe (makes 8–10)

  • 2 large eggs
  • 240ml (1 cup) milk
  • 60g (1/2 cup) plain flour
  • 1 tablespoon melted butter (plus more for cooking)
  • Pinch of salt
  • 1 tsp sugar (for sweet crepes) or omit (for savoury)
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract (for sweet crepes)
  1. 1

    Make the batter — blend or whisk

    Blender method (easiest): add all ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth, 20 seconds. Whisk method: whisk eggs and milk together, then sift in flour and whisk until completely smooth with no lumps. Add melted butter and salt.

  2. 2

    Rest 30 minutes

    Pour batter into a jug and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. Resting allows the flour to fully hydrate and the gluten to relax — this produces more tender, pliable crepes. Do not skip this step.

  3. 3

    Heat a 20–22cm non-stick pan on medium heat

    Rub a tiny knob of butter around the pan with a paper towel. The pan is hot enough when a drop of batter sizzles immediately.

  4. 4

    Pour a small amount of batter and swirl

    Pour about 3 tablespoons (45ml) of batter into the centre of the pan. Immediately lift the pan and swirl in a circular motion to spread the batter thinly and evenly across the base. Work quickly — the batter sets within seconds.

  5. 5

    Cook 60–90 seconds then flip

    Cook until the edges look dry and start to lift slightly and the underside is lightly golden. Loosen the edges with a spatula, then flip quickly. Cook 30–60 seconds on the second side. Slide onto a plate.

  6. 6

    Stack and keep warm

    Stack crepes on a plate — they will not stick together. Keep warm in a low oven (100°C) while you make the rest. The first crepe almost always comes out imperfect as the pan seasons — eat it as a cook's treat.

Serving ideasSweet: lemon juice and caster sugar. Nutella and banana. Strawberries and cream. Honey and crushed walnuts. Savoury: ham and gruyère (croque monsieur filling). Spinach and feta. Smoked salmon and cream cheese. Ratatouille.

Frequently Asked Questions

Too thin (use slightly more batter per crepe), not cooked long enough on the first side (wait until edges lift freely before flipping), or pan temperature wrong (too hot cooks too fast, too cool means they stick). Let the edges dry and release naturally — a crepe ready to flip releases easily from the pan. Forcing it tears it.
Yes — crepe batter keeps in the fridge for up to 48 hours. Give it a good stir before using as it will separate slightly. The flavour actually improves with a longer rest. Overnight batter and a cold pan of batter are both fine.